3.3   Ways to Import

There are many ways to get your files into EagleFiler. In most cases, the easiest way is to press the capture key or the capture with options key. EagleFiler will automatically determine what you have selected or what you’re viewing in the current application, and it will import it into the library. For example, if you’re looking at a Web page in Safari, you can press the capture key to import it as a Web archive. Press the capture with options key if you want to import it and, at the same time, assign tags or choose which folder it will go into.

Although the capture key is quick and easy, depending on the circumstances you may prefer to:

• Drag files, text, or a URL onto:

  • An EagleFiler browser window’s source list or records list. This can be useful if you want to import into a particular folder or tag source that you’re currently viewing.
  • The Drop Pad. The capture key is for importing whole documents. If you just want to import a selection of text, it’s better to drag and drop onto the Drop Pad or EagleFiler’s icon, or to use the service (see below).
  • The EagleFiler application icon (in the Finder or in the Dock).

• Select some items or text in another application and choose EagleFiler: Import from the Services menu (inside application menu) or press ⌘%. You may have to log out and log in again after installing EagleFiler in order for it to appear in the Services menu. From the Keyboard pane in System Preferences, you can change the keyboard shortcut and also make the service appear in other applications’ contextual menus.

• While viewing a document in another application, choose File ‣ Print and then choose Save PDF to EagleFiler from the PDF button menu. This will convert the document to PDF format and import it into EagleFiler. As with the To Import folder (see below) this can be useful when you’re viewing a Web page (such as an Amazon order confirmation page) that cannot be imported by URL.

• Save files or folders into the To Import folder that’s next to the .eflibrary file in the Finder. When the library is opened (and, periodically, while it’s open) EagleFiler checks this folder, imports any files that are in it, and then deletes them.

  • If you use a scanner, you can set its software to use the To Import folder as its output folder, thus automatically importing the scans into your library.
  • You can put To Import folder(s) in the sidebar in the Finder so that they’re available in every application’s Save panel.
  • Before saving a Web page into the To Import folder, you can clean it up using Readability.
  • Do not copy folders into the To Import folder, as this may take a while and EagleFiler may start importing before the copy is complete.

• Click on one of the EagleFiler bookmarklets in your Web browser.

• Choose Import File(s)… from the File menu.

• Choose Import URL(s)… from the File menu.

• Drag files from one EagleFiler library window to another. This will preserve all of the tags, notes, and other metadata.

• Put some text on the clipboard using Edit ‣ Copy and then choose Import Clipboard from EagleFiler’s Dock menu.

• Control-click on a file in the Finder and choose Open With ‣ EagleFiler.

• Install some AppleScript files so that you can import directly from LaunchBar or Quicksilver.

• Run an AppleScript such as:

  tell application "EagleFiler"
      import files {POSIX file "/Users/mjt/Desktop/MyFile"}
      import URLs {"http://www.apple.com", "http://c-command.com"}
  end tell
  

In all cases, the data is copied into the EagleFiler library (as with iPhoto). EagleFiler automatically detects duplicate files so that only one copy of each document is stored in the library.

If more than one library is open (and you didn’t drag into a specific browser window), EagleFiler assumes that you meant to import into the current library (the one with the frontmost window). If no library is open, EagleFiler will show a dialog asking you to open one; then you can click the Import button to import the files into that library.

For advice about how to import e-mail messages, see the Importing Mail section.